Beta-read by the lovely Scribbles I

Healed and Hunted

Awkward Shuffling

Chapter Seven

Coffee Room

Kat

She was at lethargy's mercy. The steam filtered through her nose and did nothing to wake her. She needed the caffeine in her blood, not in her nostrils. So she sipped it, forgetting that hot coffee tended to scald the tongue. Kat didn't spit it back out.

"I thought you said you didn't want to have coffee with me," a voice said from the direction of the pots.

Her head moved slowly, subconsciously avoiding whiplash. "I did. That didn't mean I was going to break from my routine."

He smiled and took the seat opposite her, and she was too tired to object.

"Not a morning person, are you?" Lee asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

She deadpanned, "I am one acquainted with the night. I hate waking up."

He laughed at that. "I see."

"Please stop laughing. It hurts, a little," she sighed, and took another sip. She was pleased that Lee allowed her some semblance of peace to continue her start up. One time or another she caught him staring at her, but he looked away when she sighed.

By the time she had finished her cup, she was mostly awake. She was never at her best during the morning. She wanted to blame this on her past- ah, how she missed running at night- but Aang and Toph were fine. She then blamed it on the moon.

"Awake yet?" Lee asked her, and she half-smiled.

"I am. Thank you for holding your arguments until I was ready." Her answer was simple and polite. Kat had no desire to offend so quickly.

Lee raised one hand, his cup carefully between his fingers, "I didn't come here to argue. Just wanted to talk."

"Then don't look at me like that. It creeps me out," Kat sighed.

The man nodded. "Very well. I shall look at you like a puzzle."

Silently, Kat groaned. It was no better to be a puzzle than a prize.

Four Nations Law Offices

Suki

She had broken down and sorted the cases into which ones she could win, which ones she would need to work on, and which ones were downright lost causes. She had been so full this week. For the past few weeks, actually, but more so this week than any. Their offices were getting a reputation. They were good. They took the cases that they could. They never turned anyone away.

But she knew which cases were unwinnable - though of course there were always surprises. She usually took those on with Sokka. They did them together, having to remind each other that all was not lost. That progress was being made. That their daughter would not end up in someone's light brown file folder.

"How many?" Sokka asked from the doorway. He had a cup of coffee in his hand, he offered it to her as he stepped to her desk. She sipped from the rim and gave it back, grimacing at all the sugar in it.

"Too many. As usual. Four tomorrow. Three of the same judge," she sighed, "And one of the interim."

Sokka picked up a file, looked at the name and set it back down. There had been so many cases, things were starting to blur together.

"They're trying to appeal the bands again," Suki told him, looking at her muted television. The headlines read as she had stated.

"They're not going to get anywhere this time. Not until Aang is out of school. I don't think anything major will be done in favor of the Inheritors," Sokka said seriously, drinking from his cup.

Suki sighed, "I know. In response, though, there are whispers that they're going to push for a younger age qualification. They're wanting eight to be the requirement."

That would give Kyoshi two more years of being free. The armbands marked Inheritors apart from the nonnies. Bright red bands to be worn on the outside of an Inheritor's clothes. It was invitation to heckling and torment, suspicion and hostility. The bands caused more trouble for Inheritors than anything else, really.

They were courtesy of the Russian general, Iroh. The dragon of the west. A surprise attack, nearly forty years ago. Suki couldn't remember the details. She was no Inheritor. There had been so many lawsuits, but the bands had stuck.

"Well, that won't pass either," Sokka said, breaking the over-worked mother from her thoughts.

Suki sighed. Their door opened, the bell ringing in the visitor. Sokka went to greet them, leaving Suki to her organization and sorting.

After two minutes or so, Sokka came back with a young man. He introduced the man as a new client, and started reaching for a file folder.

"I haven't even told you what I need," the young man said. His voice was strained, and Suki recognized the tone. He was going in the lost causes pile.

"We don't turn people away." Sokka's voice was frank. She knew he was tired of people being surprised. Their reputation was not imaginary or undeserved.

"It's my little sister. They... They arrested her. Said she... said she..." A few tears threatened the man's eyes. He covered his face in shame, trying his hardest to gather his wits. Suki was used to this, too. She could only imagine what crime the girl had supposedly committed.

"It's alright. Take it easy," Sokka sat the man down.

Suki pushed the tissue box forward, knowing this man was up to Sokka. It had became his case when a sister came into view. It was no surprise.

"They're accusing her of setting a house on fire. She wasn't anywhere near there, I swear," the man said quickly.

"Alright. We'll work on it. Just start filling these out," Sokka gave the man a the necessary forms. Suki was distracted by a phone call.

She pressed the speaker button.

"Four Nations Law Offices," she said as way of greeting.

"Is this Kyoshi's mother? This is the principal of her school, this was the number listed." A woman asked. Immediately Suki and Sokka were staring straight at the phone.

"Yes, is something the matter?" It was only the middle of the day.

There was a small, awkward cough, "I... have some bad news, ma'am."

"Is she alright?" A panicked mother.

"Your daughter is here in my office," a woman delivering unpleasant news, "Kyoshi was... Ma'am, I don't know if you're aware, but your daughter is an Inheritor."

Suki almost laughed, "I am aware. I fail to see where this would land her in the principal's office."

"She attacked another student, ma'am." Curt, now, professional. Hateful.

"Oh? Was the other student injured?" Quick question.

"No ma'am." Nervous answer.

"Was my daughter hurt?" Another fast question.

"No ma'am." The pace of Suki's voice was making the woman jumpy.

"Did my daughter start the fight?"

"No, but-"

"Was she defending herself, or someone else?"

"Violence is not-"

"Was she defending herself or someone else?"

"The boy she attacked was picking on her friend." A hesitant admission.

"And the boy is not an Inheritor, is this correct?" Suki looked to Sokka, who looked near enough to grabbing and screaming at the phone. His mouth was set in a tight line, ready to burst at the slightest change in this conversation.

The principal sighed, "No, he isn't."

"And did you bring this boy in for bullying?"

"No, I didn't."

And there was the heart of it. They stopped worrying that the boy had done something wrong. All the principal had seen was an Inheritor causing problems. Suki sighed. She had been silent for a few moments, and she could feel the principal tensing in the quiet.

"Regardless of what the boy did, your daughter assaulted him. His parents are wanting something done," the other woman said.

"I suppose I'll need to come up. I'll be there in a moment, and we'll solve this like adults," Suki said, hanging up.

"Your daughter's an Inheritor?" the man asked, having still been in the room.

Sokka nodded, "A Water Inheritor. Like her aunt. Trouble maker, just the same."

The parents looked to one another, Suki wishing she didn't have to go. There is no way to handle this correctly. Chance were, Suki would end up in court, handling her own assault charge. She started to breathe slowly, trying to think like Aang. She had never seen him angry- well, not unless he was glowing-and he had tried to help them all calm down.

Positive thoughts made positive actions.

And she was positive she was not going to let her daughter take the blame.

Coffee Room

Lee

"So tell me about you," he said conversationally.

She blinked. "No." God she was difficult.

"Will you answer questions?"

She sipped, then looked at her empty cup, "Maybe."

Lee nodded. "Alright. What's your problem with me?"

She lifted her cup as someone walked by. Lee saw the Ava adjust the porcelain in his hand, moving to fill it without being asked. He watched the bald man prepare her cup. Hot coffee and way too much sugar went in before the cup was placed on the table. The man then filled up a second cup with plain coffee.

"I don't have a problem with you." Kat held her hand out just as the Ava passed, her hands meeting ceramic, "Thanks."

The Ava grunted and took a careful sip of his own coffee. Lee remembered that he was trying to have a conversation.

"You're being rather...confrontational," he said to her.

Kat nodded, enjoying the first drink of her new coffee, "I don't have a problem with you personally. Just what people think of people like you. I don't know enough about you to dislike you, aside from the fact I had to ask someone else for your name."

"I didn't think you would be so odd," Lee said, trying to explain himself. But then he realized how offensive that might have sounded. He really seemed to have his foot in his mouth this week.

Kat laughed, "Odd? That's new, I must admit."

"I don't believe that," Lee grumbled.

"I have been called many things, Lee. Most of them to my face. Odd was never among them. I'm consistent, I think. Not odd."

Lee felt a small smirk sneaking on to his face. He was certain that those people who had called her names had promptly been attacked. She just seemed that kind of person.

"I don't see how you think being consistent is the same as being odd," he sighed.

Kat thought for a moment, "People always seem to be looking for an ulterior motive. Something secret. Some... inconsistency that everyone else seems to have. I've got my rules, and I follow them."

Another piece fell in place. So she was a rules girl. Next step was to find them. So he asked, "Rules? Like what?"

Kat sighed, "I'm not telling."

And a scowl set in. This was getting him nowhere, and he was almost out of time. Classes would start soon. And he wasn't sure what the bus would be like. He hadn't thought that far ahead. He had never had to. Lee recognized the challenge she posed, and momentarily began his plotting.

The bell buzzed and they both rose quickly. The movement was not so unusual, but it was the synchrony ruined it. They bumped into one another, his face meeting her hair.

It smelled...pretty. Oh, God, pretty? I'm insane, he thought wildly.

Lee retreated quickly, embarrassed. He did not look back to see her reaction.

Pretty?

He had to back off and approach this another way. He had to stop seeking her so actively and think of other things. Otherwise, things were going to get sticky.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I misread something frommy Beta. I had a bit of an airhead moment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you all again soon! Oh-

Question, anyone here from Russia? If so, I'd really like to ask you some questions.